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April 11, 2009

G5: Red Sox 5, Angels 4

Whew. Los Angeles had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and Howie Kendrick battled Jonathan Papelbon through a 10-pitch at-bat. Kendrick took two strikes, then fouled off seven straight pitches -- Bot was using both his fastball and slider -- before lining out to Rocco Baldelli in right center field.

Jason Bay hit two home runs, scored three runs and drive in three runs. Mike Lowell hit a two-dong in the fifth.

Bay's first home run gave Boston its first lead of the afternoon, 4-3, lead in the top of the seventh. After the stretch, Terry Francona brought in Ramon Ramirez in relief of Penny (6-5-3-2-2, 86). Ramirez allowed a one-out double, but worked out of trouble. He threw 17 pitches, but Tito sent him back out for the eighth and after he got Kendrick and Bobby Abreu (on a liner that Kevin Youkilis dove for and deflected to Dustin Pedroia, who tossed it to Ramirez at the bag for the 3-4-1 out), it was Bot time.

That's the work of Playoff Assassin Tito! After three losses, the team just grabbed a one-run lead; it's time go with your best and don't eff around. Pitch counts: Ramirez 29 / Bot 39.

This is 1/40th of the season. We're going to hit a spell and why not be now? There are bright things to come. We're not worried about it. I know a lot of people back home might be worried about it, [the media] might be worried about it. We're going to hit.

I'm not worried -- no one in his or her right mind should be worried after four games -- but I am annoyed.

Also, Kilgore is doing a brief morning wrap-up of the minor leagues games at EB. From last night:

PAWTUCKET 9, Buffalo 0Michael Bowden goes 4 2/3 innings in his first start, striking out five while allowing no runs on two hits and two walks. ...

PORTLAND 3, Connecticut 2Lars Anderson draws a bases loaded walk on a 3-2 pitch with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to give the Sea Dogs their first win of the year. Anderson also hits two singles. Batting leadoff, Josh Reddick goes 4 for 5 with a home run, a double, an RBI, and a run. ...

I like how Kilgore says he hopes it becomes a regular feature--considering his live chats from spring games lasted one day, I give him two weeks on this one.

I now have pics up from Wednesday and Thursday. I'm not gonna pimp these here every time I go to a game, but just know if I'm not in a game thread, it probably means I was at that game, and pics of it will be on my blog.

There was no way the Angels would have let themselves lose last night, and I wouldn't be surprised to get swept. It's annoying, but they're going to play like it's the 7th game of the world series for the next month or so.

I've only been able to watch two of the games so far this season, and even those have been incomplete. I'm looking forward to seeing this one in full.

And then David Holtzman's Diary or the Chelsea Girls on the big screen(s).

in these type games, instead of dwelling on how we're missing opportunities, I try to think of what the other side's thinking, which is, We're living dangerously, eventually they're gonna break through.

i was gonna say the same thing--he WOULD have caught it and would've been accused of trying to catch a butterfly and accidentally ending up with the ball. Then he would've hit four home runs. And we'd go on to win the WS. Twice.